It's finally Friday. I'm happy to report that I've submitted 40% of the assignments I am required to submit in order to get off academic probation. And I got the first two grades back. I got an A on my math assignment and a B+ on my English essay. I still think I deserved an A, but I'm not about to argue with a teacher.
"Okay, we're taking you out," Tamrin says, standing in front of me in the library. I'm in my little corner finishing off yet another assignment.
"No," I say in protest. I don't have time to be going out and having fun, especially fun planned by Tamrin.
"Yes. I spoke to Sadie and we're going," she says, already gathering my stuff.
I open my mouth to protest again, but Tamrin's determined expression stops me. I know there's no use arguing when she's made up her mind. She bundles my things into my bag, and I reluctantly stand up, letting her drag me out of the library.
"We all need a break, Celeste. You've been working non-stop, and it
There's an awkward pause before Tamrin jumps in. "Well, enjoy your coffee. We’re just here to relax after a long week."Liam is staring at me and I wish he would look away. Sadie is staring at me curiously and I know she has questions."I was hoping we could join you." Liam says, glancing at me one last time before motioning to Presley to take a seat next to Sadie. I almost cry when he pulls a chair and sits next to me. I look at Sadie who is smiling at me like she's on crack.I wish I could ask her to stop because Liam is looking right at her."Are you okay?" Sadie asks, mischief in her eyes. I shake my head at her question to get her to stop but she just looks at me waiting for an answer.I nod, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." I can feel Liam's eyes on me. I ignore him and take a sip of my coffee. I'm ready to go."Maybe we're making you feel u
Saturday morning comes with a bright sun and clear skies, a perfect day to stay in and catch up on more assignments. But my plans are interrupted when my mom knocks on my bedroom door, holding a small package.I stare at her surprised that she's up and out of bed. I've been living her food in the morning not sure she would get out of bed and I have been ignoring the kitchen as soon as I get home because I souldn't take the emotional toll of knowing she doesn't get out of bed."Celeste, I need you to do me a favor," she says, her tone low . "Can you deliver this to Mrs. Hayes? It's something she left at the office yesterday." She adds and my brain is running in circles. That means she went to work.I glance at the package and then back at my mom. "Mrs. Hayes? As in Liam's mom?" That's the other thing making my mind spin."Yes, Celeste," she replies, raising an eyebrow in repone to my tone. "It won't take long." She adds and I sigh,
Liam is sitting in his room, staring out of the window, lost in thought. The evening sun casts a warm glow over the garden, the colors vibrant and full of life. His mind is far away, filled with thoughts of Celeste.I remember how she looked this morning when she brought the package. The shock on her face when she saw me with Presley.I was deep in Presley's pussy but all I saw was her beauty. Her hair catching the light, her eyes a mix of shock and lust. I know she feels something for me. I see it in the way she looks at me. he thinks she can hide it but her eyes always betray her and leave her true feelings on display.She was horny.I feel my dick get harder when I think about her looking at me. I wish she was here so I can make her touch it. I want to feel her fingers wrap around me. I know she would tremble as she feels the softness my skin and hardness of my shaft.I would love to see her reaction
By the time I get home, the tension has morphed into a dull ache in my chest.What did I just see? How am I going to face him the next time we see each other? I need to ignore him. I run to my room and try to focus on my assignments. I need to forget the image that is undeniably etched into my brain. He was naked and she was naked too! I drag my body into my chair and stare at the papers in front of me. But my thoughts keep drifting back to Liam and what I saw. I replay the scene over and over in my head, each time wondering why I didn't just leave.Why did I stand there that long? Why did I keep eye contact with him?Why was he staring at me? Why did it seem like he liked the idea of me watching him have sex with another girl?How fucked up is he?Am I fucked up for watching? Even worse am I fucked up for wondering what it's like to be with him?I hate him, yes but I can't help but wonder if it felt good for her,I get up at that thought and scream silently.What the fuck is w
It's Monday. Another week is starting I still have so much work to do. But I'm taking these few minutes to cool my brain down. The girls and I are, having lunch under the willow tree. The air is warm, and the shade provides a pleasant escape from the midday sun. Sadie is lying on the grass, using her backpack as a pillow, while Tamrin leans against the tree trunk, picking at her salad. I sit cross-legged, a sandwich in my lap, trying to focus on anything but Presley’s voice.I'm trying not to picture her naked with Liam and I am failing. And the fact that she's talking about him is making it even worse. "So, Liam and I are planning to go to the beach this weekend," Presley says, her voice full of excitement. "He said he knows a perfect spot where we can watch the sunset." I stare at my lunchbox trying not to make eye contact with her. She stops talking and I can feel her staring at me. When I look up she's looking at me for a reaction. I force a smile and nod, pretending to be in
I push my cart down the aisle, trying to remember what else I need to pick up. My mother did say I should take the list she wrote for me but I said no because I'm smart right? My mind is occupied by the fact that I have to take Presley to the beach over the weekend. I couldn't tell you how this happened but shes been texting me about it the whole day. I grab a carton of milk and a box of cereal, hoping I haven’t forgotten anything important.As I turn the corner, I smile when I see the one person I've been fiending to see. all day. My heart skips a beat when I see Celeste standing there, staring at a shelf of pasta. She’s wearing the baggiest pants I've ever seen, Iwould love to take off all those layers to see what she's hiding. Better yet I would love to take her to the beach. Her hair pulled back in a messy bun. She looks lost in thought, and for a moment, I hesitate to approach her.I don't know how she'll react.“Celeste?” I ca
The weekend arrives, and I find myself on the beach with Presley. The sun is high, and the waves crash rhythmically against the shore. Presley chatters away about her latest shopping spree, but my mind drifts back to Celeste.I can't stop thinking about her and this is my opportunity find out everything about her that I can.“So, you and Celeste are friends?” I ask casually, trying to steer the conversation where I want it to go.Presley raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the question. “No. Why are you asking about Celeste?” She says and I can already heaar the jealousy in her voice. She rolls her eyes at me as she asks her question.I shrug, keeping my tone light. “Just curious. She seems different.” I say and she pouts.Presley smirks. “She’s fine, I guess. She's a little stuck up. I don't see anything interesting about her. So don't waste your breath on her." She
I'm back in my favorite place! The library.It’s quiet hum returns makes me want to scream because I need help!I push my physics assignment aside for a moment, rubbing my temples to fend off the growing headache. I look up at the ceiling hoping it will fix the pain but it doesn't.When I look ahead I see Ethan looking at me. He smiles at me and I nod wondering how he's always in here. I know he's smart and has the best grades in the school but how does he not lose his mind?I pull my assignment back and try it again. After a few more attempts at focusing, I concede defeat. I’m going to need help with this physics assignment, whether I like it or not. Swallowing my pride, I gather my notebook and textbook and make my way over to him. He looks up as I approach, a surprised but warm smile spreading across his face.“Hey, Ethan. Can I ask you for a favor?” I say getting the words out before I change my mind, trying to keep my tone casual I let the words flow.“Of course. What’s up?”
The night is thick with shadows, and I stay hidden in plain sight, leaning casually against a streetlamp with a cigarette in hand. I’ve been watching her for over a month now. Celeste. She’s Liam’s weakness, though I doubt she even realizes it. She’s always surrounded by people, especially that annoying shadow of his—Nathan. Liam’s brother never leaves her side, like some overprotective lapdog. It’s irritating, but not unexpected. Liam plays his cards close, and Nathan is just another pawn in his meticulous game.Still, every pawn has its limits.Celeste is standing at the curb now, laughing at something Nathan said. The sound is soft, light, so painfully out of place in a world like ours. She has no idea the storm she’s standing in the middle of. She’s oblivious, a delicate flower in the middle of a battlefield. And I’ll admit—there’s something almost amusing about it.But it’s not am
The office feels too small, like the walls are closing in on me. I can’t sit still. Every step I take feels like I’m walking a tightrope, my mind racing with possibilities, each one darker than the last. Travis sits on the worn leather couch in the corner, his expression unreadable. He’s calm, the way he always is, but I know him well enough to see the tension in his jaw.“Liam,” he says, his voice measured. “You need to breathe. This isn’t helping.”I ignore him, my boots thudding against the floor as I pace. “How does this happen, Travis? A clean pickup. No cops. No outside eyes. And yet my product is gone, my guy’s in the hospital, and there’s a message waiting for me like it’s a damn game.”Travis leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re not going to figure it out by pacing holes into the floor. Sit down. Let’s think this through.”I st
The warehouse feels suffocating. The air is thick with tension, and every sound—footsteps, whispers, the scrape of crates being moved—grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. My fists are clenched so tightly my knuckles ache. Every cell in my body is screaming for release, for violence, for something to break.I sit at the edge of the makeshift desk, staring at nothing, replaying Eric’s words over and over in my head. They’re coming for more. They’re going to take everything from you. My empire is being chipped away, and all I can think about is how much I want to make whoever did this pay.A shuffle of hesitant footsteps behind me pulls me from my thoughts. I don’t turn around. “What?” I snap, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through the room.The kid—barely old enough to shave, one of the newer runners—steps forward. He’s holding a clipboard, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. &ldq
The warehouse is buzzing when I arrive, but it’s not the usual controlled chaos. It’s tense, electric. I can feel it in the air before I even step out of the car. Men are pacing, muttering, looking over their shoulders like shadows might suddenly turn into threats. The second I walk in, the room quiets, their eyes darting toward me like they’re waiting for an explosion.I don’t blame them. I’m furious.I move through the crowd, heading straight for the back office where I know Eric, one of my most reliable runners, is waiting. He shouldn’t even be here. From what I’ve been told, he barely made it out of the ambush alive. He should be in a hospital bed, getting stitches and painkillers. Instead, he’s slumped in a chair with his arm in a makeshift sling, his face pale and slick with sweat.“Eric,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended. “Tell me everything.”He winces as he shifts in the chair, his hand trembling as he runs it through his hair. “It—it was supposed to be a simple pick-u
The Ferris wheel's gentle hum fades behind us as we step off, and for a moment, everything feels calm, like the world’s giving us a break. Celeste’s laughter hangs in the air, Tamrin and Nathan’s chatter filling the space around us as we walk toward the food court. It’s a perfect night—just the four of us, blending into the crowd, no one looking twice at us, no one questioning who we are. For once, it feels like I can breathe.Then my phone buzzes, jolting me back to reality. I glance at the screen and feel my heart drop. The name flashing there is one I’ve dreaded seeing tonight. For a second, I think about ignoring it, letting it fade, but I know that’s not an option.“Be right back,” I say, stepping away from the table. I catch Nathan’s eyes as I move off to the side, and he gives me a slight nod. He knows better than to ask, but I can see the concern in his eyes.As I answer, the voice on the other
I stand at the cotton candy stand with Presley, the smell of spun sugar in the air, debating whether to get pink or blue. Presley leans into her choice, laughing, and I almost forget how tangled everything feels these days. I turn around to scan the crowd, hoping to spot a familiar face—anything to take my mind off everything with Tamrin and Celeste. Then I see them, a cluster of faces in the distance, laughing and close. My stomach drops.Tamrin is standing with Celeste, Nathan, and Liam. And they’re not just standing around, either—they look like they’re together, sharing that easy, familiar vibe you only have when you're close. My gasp is barely audible, but Presley catches it. She turns to look where I’m staring, her eyes narrowing as she sees the group for herself.“What the…? Tamrin?” Presley says, clearly stunned, her face hardening as she takes it all in. It’s like watching something surreal unfold. I can b
I catch sight of Tamrin the second Nathan calls her over, her face cautious, her eyes bouncing between Celeste and me. I force a polite smile as she approaches, but inside, I’m grinding my teeth. Her showing up means we’re back to pretending—like everything between Celeste and me is just casual, like she’s not the only person on my mind right now. I know Celeste feels it too; the forced smile she gives Tamrin is too practiced, too stiff. The whole scene feels like a well-rehearsed lie, and I hate it.Without saying a word, I start walking toward the Ferris wheel, letting my steps make my frustration known. It’s high up there, away from prying eyes and hushed whispers, a place where maybe, for a few moments, we don’t have to act. I dig into my pocket, pull out a few crumpled bills, and pay the attendant for a cab big enough for all of us. I glance back, calling them over.They gather around, and as we settle into the cabin, it’s
The carnival’s music and laughter fill the air, but my focus is entirely on the two figures in the distance—Celeste and Liam, standing by one of the game booths, his arm just brushing hers as they both laugh. My heart pounds as I watch them, each laugh of theirs twisting something in me. Sadie’s words flood back: Maybe we judged her too harshly… Maybe we’re wrong about all of this. It feels like a thorn in my side, nagging at me as I linger on the edge of the crowd.They’re close, too close. The way Liam’s looking at her, even from here, I can feel the intensity. I can’t stop the thought from creeping in—what if they really are together? I can’t shake it, and it’s eating me alive. Suddenly, I realize I need to talk to her, to find some kind of answer in her face, some way to know the truth without jumping to conclusions. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll apologize. I push my way through the crowd, my feet carrying
The sun’s just about to dip below the horizon, casting this deep orange light over everything as we step onto the carnival grounds. It’s cool, that kind of perfect evening breeze coming off the ocean. The sound of waves rolling up the shore blends with the laughter and music around us. I glance over at Celeste and see her smiling, her hair catching the last bit of daylight, and for a moment, I feel… content. Peaceful, even.Nathan is already pulling ahead, grinning like a kid on holiday, dragging us toward the game booths. There’s a lightness to the whole scene that feels rare these days. It’s almost surreal.“Come on, Liam,” Celeste teases, looking over her shoulder at me. “Let’s see if you’re any good at carnival games or if it’s all talk.”I laugh and pull her gently toward the shooting game booth, waving a couple of tickets to the guy behind the counter. “Think you’re up for a real challenge?” I ask, raising an eyebrow as I hand her a plastic rifle.C